Take Off

It all goes back to the saying.. the backbone of any film lies in the script and its treatment. In 'Take Off', editor-turned director Mahesh Narayanan presents the ordeal of a group of Keralite nurses stranded in the city of Tikrit, Iraq at the time when ISIS militants took over its reigns. Mahesh centers his story around Sameera (played by a brilliantly nuanced Parvathy) and certain characters who walk in and out of her life. Two things that warrant applause apart from the screenplay are the spot-on casting and excellent performances.

Almost the entire first half is spent portraying the decisive evolution of the lead characters. The viewer learns about Sameera's traits, her family backdrop and the circumstances that coax her to become a divorcée and take up a job in Iraq. Kunchacko Boban displays great maturity in delivering an utterly grounded performance, ably supporting Parvathy. Asif Ali is also present in a cameo, and does his part well. The interval block is executed pretty well. The film dives into thriller mode soonafter. That's also when Fahadh Faasil's character (an Indian Ambassador) enters the scene. As Manoj Abraham, he exudes confidence and turns out to be a show- stopper on multiple instances.

The physical and psychological torment faced by the victims are divulged with absolute honesty and in thoroughly-gripping fashion. The original background score by Gopi Sunder suits the tensive mood of the film. Cinematography by Sanu Varghese is commendable and adds a dash of realism to the exquisitely rich frames. Blood and sand aren't exactly the most pleasing sights to look at, yet Sanu and director Mahesh ensure that they have an enthralling story to narrate, even with their inclusion in heavy dosage. There are certain standout scenes that keep lingering in the viewer's mind long after they leave the cinema hall..such as the one where Sameera meets Manoj to discuss the update on her husband's whereabouts..and the sequence where she breaks down while conversing with him over the phone. The climax is devoid of major edge-of-the-seat moments, still ends up being one of the most satisfying Malayalam movie experiences in recent memory.

The production design definitely draws parallels to its much costlier Bollywood counterpart, last year's Akshay Kumar starrer 'AirLift'. That movie attempted to depict the evacuation of Kuwait- based Indians as a one-man show with much lesser emotional pay-off. Here, the viewer is literally placed in the midst of all the psychological trauma faced by those strong-willed individuals who are coerced into compromising their remuneration and religious beliefs in order to stay alive; the emotional element integrated seamlessly into each and every aspect of the film. If there is still a notable drawback to speak of, it could be the way in which a couple of bomb-blast sequences are executed with the help of not-so- great C.G.I (still a harrowing factor in Malayalam films). Thankfully, this flick does not have to depend too much on computer- generated effects, and hence, even this minor snag can be conveniently absolved.

Benefiting from a riveting screenplay coupled with passionate performances, 'Take Off' also boasts of overall technical perfection and slick production values that make it stand out from the rest of the clutter by a wide margin. For once, the hype paid off. Awaiting your next, Mahesh!

Recommended? An emphatic YES!

Take Off (2017):

Take Off is inspired by the real-life rescue of Indian nurses who were stranded in Tikrit, Iraq, during the country's civil war in 2014.Starring one of my favorite actress Parvathy Menon,I had huge expectations on this film.So how is it?

Plot:

Sameera (Parvathy Thiruvoth) is a 31-year-old nurse who is being forced by her circumstances to take a job in Iraq.She is a divorcée and has an eight-year-old son,but that's not a problem at all for Shahid (Kunchacko Boban),her colleague, who is ready to accompany her to the troubled land. Sameera accepts to marry him, in yet another attempt to keep her and her closed ones' life afloat.But when they land in Iraq,things starts getting worse.

Plus Points:

1)Performances: Parvathy plays Sameera with the sense of perfection she is known for. The agonies of a woman caught caught up in a cobweb of personal, professional and even international crises come alive on screen through her.Definitely an award winning performance.Kunchacko pulls a restrained and subtle performance as Shahid, who also serves as the undying ray of hope in Sameera's life.Fahadh is show-stealer in second half.His expressions of contempt and impudence at his senior officials add a few doses of heroism in the film.

2)Screenplay and Direction: Editor-turned-filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan's debut directorial is exceptional.With the story being familiar, the challenge awaiting the director was presenting the plot in an engaging manner, taking cinematic liberties. And Mahesh along with co-scriptwriter PV Shajikumar does it with aplomb.Never once does it slack – despite the first half being a drama. The director also ensures that in between the taut screenplay, the movie addresses the plight of nurses who travel abroad seeking employment to pay off loans, to take care of their family and for better prospects even if it means putting their lives on the line.

So,Take Off is another worth watching film of Malayalam with terrific performances and engaging screenplay.

My rating 7.5/10

Worth watching. Great acting by Parvaty Menon. Based on real story.

Appreciate the effort by the producers to bring this very relevant real-life story to the mass. The movie has vividly portrayed the resilience of the nurses (and malayalees in general), the seriousness of the situation and avoiding the cliche that the antagonists are straight from hell. Beyond that the movie is a criticism to the Kerala society's disrespect to nurses (salary) while even terrorists in a war torn country could value them more.

Mostly done well, at times I felt the pace too slow or fast. Acting is mostly done well with good performance from Parvathy. Kunchacko Boban's role was totally unnecessary though he acted ok.

While watching this movie, I realized that it really does suck to be an Indian. We have to stand in queues to get jobs, to emigrate to other countries or even to buy a bottle of alcohol. Our lives are a series of application forms to be filled and photostats to be submitted. I had tears in my eyes during the first scene and even the scenes at the end with the pictures of the nurses meeting their families after. Why are we always at the mercy of governments and dictators?

I loved the account of the Muslim lady's personal life. But hated the scene where she dons the burqa with glee. Would one Indian filmmaker have the guts to feature a scene where a Muslim lady tears off her burqa? The patriotic scenes towards the end were also a bit cringe-worthy. I mean, these ladies left the country for Iraq because they could not make ends meet with their meager salaries in the so called fastest growing economy in the world. Take Off must also be one of the first films in the world about the ISIS menace.

Parvathi pretty much carries this film on her shoulders. She towers over the three other leading men. She completely owned this film. I was not too impressed by her in Bangalore Days. But she really impressed me in this. I liked the film because it accurately portrays the sense of anomie and constant uncertainty that characterizes most Indian lives.